Magic Markers

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:02 am

LOL try it with 42!!! I like the idea though:). Hey, maybe I could use that in my argument to turn our new 135g into a crabitat instead of a fish tank? I still don't think it would work.

I did'nt realize that other people were as neurotic as I am with the note book LOL but, it works. My husband does'nt even bother trying to figure out who is who, he just points LOL.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:06 am

Yeah i can imagine the whole tank covered in pictures. I'm up to 8 hermits now! I'm so excited I got a big guy last night and another one who is so faded in color. As soon as I get my taxes back I am buying a HUGE tank... maybe a 125 gal or bigger. Yep the tax man was good to me this year. Then I can get more hermits, and it wont be so easy to tell them apart.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:17 am

I wish there was an easy way but with my new guy there is no mistaking him, not only is he MUCH larger but he's dark purple, all over. So at least my two largest and my smallest can be told different... the other 5.... well I guess we resort to pictures til we get too many.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:52 am

Pictures & note taking don't work for me. Because of the amount of crabs I have, it is near impossible to keep track. Also, I tend to have the "domino" effect when a crab changes shells. One changes, then another one changes into the first one's shell, then a third crab tries on the 2nd crab's shell......and on & on. Even the sharpie markers don't work for that kind of changing. But the sharpies work fairly well when you are talking about 2-3 crabs wearing very similar shells. Even if one changes, you still know who the other two are.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:09 am

I like the picture idea. Maybe a nice clear picture of the front view of the crab. I also like the notebook idea. Maybe get a white board and put it next to the tank and get one of those white boards that are magnetic or one of those ones that are half cork board and put the pics on it. Then if you see a hermit crab change shells write it down on the white board; or Fred can write it down, and then you can record it later in a notebook, and schedule a photo shoot for the crab in his new outfit. Maybe buy one of those cheap photo albums for each crab and put each new picture in the album thing, and write on the back of the picture the date and who the crab is.
Mines all computerized. If I see a crab checking out a shell, I grab my camera and record it on video, and put it on my computer. But I can tell all my crabs apart by their leg hair haha. I know that sounds weird but some of mine have little tuffs of hair, and some have really hairy legs, and some have no hair at all. I break it down into different size groups to make it easier. [ex. Jumbos, and mediums and smalls, and micros] I have twins though, who are in identical shells, but I tell them apart because ones an ***hole and the other is nice and friendly. Good luck!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:22 pm

Anish,
I do the whole notebook thing too, lol. My friend saw it in my room the other day and gave me the oddest look!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:45 pm

I was just thinking this dilemma over the other day. I was thinking I could put a sticker on each shell. Then make a little sign that says the name of the crab with that crab's sticker. Then when a crab changes shells I can just peel off the sticker and move it to the new shell.
Or would they eat the stickers?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:39 am

Nope, they don't eat the stickers, but they fall off pretty easily, especially if the crab has been in the water.

I'm finding out that for Freddy, the easiest way to tell them apart is just by putting the name of the crab on the shell, or putting some kind of marking on their shell.

I truly believe the sharpies are safe to use. And if one changes well, it's not difficult to rub the old one out.

It's a small price to pay when I see a crab in a gorgeous shell, with a name written on its back and Freddy picking them up, playing with them is well worth the ascetic insult of names in black kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkskkkk

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:46 am

Grammarcia wrote: I truly believe the sharpies are safe to use. And if one changes well, it's not difficult to rub the old one out.

You said it does rub off? Or you mean just scribble it out? How about using a wax pencil? Those rub off. Or maybe just put a nice design on each shell, heart, flower, star, whatever. Then just have a sign that gets updated every time a crab changes shells. Just a post-it would work.

wickedannabella · Post by **wickedannabella** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:20 am

Oy vey. While I know how you feel...I mean I went through the same thing about a year ago and was pullling out my hair...I'm finally to the point that I give them names, but if I can't figure out who's who? Oh well...

I have a file folder in my computer with pictures of the crabs that I update as I can. But while I USED to be really anal about this? I'm not so much anymore. I have almost 30 crabs now and I can't stress over it so much...eventually I figure out who's who...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:37 am

Then again I guess it doesn't really matter. The crabs are all equally happy with or without a name. It isn't like they look up and respond when you call them by their names

. But they do have distinct personalities though. I only have 6 and I can tell the differences by personality alone. Of course my kids both ask me "which one is that?". So I have to have names for them. Plus it will make my husband like them a bit more if they have actual names. He is not an animal person. He probably sees the crabs as things. "Another thing my wife collects". Yeah, I collect all kinds of stuff (born collector). But I don't collect pets! :roll:

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:25 pm

It isn't like they look up and respond when you call them by their names

Please don't tell Freddy. He'll actually call them by name and expect them to come running.

Another time a larger E had bullied a smaller one and gotten him out of his shell. Fortunately, we both we nearby when it happened. We separated the crabs and Freddy gave the bully a slap upside the shell.

I'm surprised Freddy didn't try to ground him for a week.